Favorite HAL Things?? What's not to be missed?

[KruzPrincess]

I'll be sailing on the Statendam soon and was wondering what your favorite things are. Do you have certain favorite food items? Favorite activities? I don't go to the MDR a lot, so I'm wondering what items there shouldn't be missed. I do know that food is subjective, but I'm just interested in hearing what you think.

[cruz chic]

I do go to the MDR a lot but I think Hal breakfast menu is awesome. There are so many choices. You likely can get the same things at the lido.

[sail7seas]

I like HAL's cinnamon rolls at breakfast. Also, when they have chocolate muffins, I like them. :)

[Typhoon1]

Chocolate Volcano cake in the Pinnacle Grill.

[78232]

Waffles in the lido are very good. Room service breakfast on the first morning is a very relaxing way to ease into vacation mode.

[dockman]

My favorite things on Holland:

 

1. Walking laps on a nice fake teak deck that goes all the way around the ship.

2. The usually good library.

3. Sitting at the rear pool at sunset time with a glass of wine.

4. Afternoon naps.

5. The crow's nest early in the morning before all the people show up.

6. Burgers etc out by the pool.

7. The smiling faces of the crew and learning a bit about their lives.

[sppunk]

I like HAL's cinnamon rolls at breakfast. Also, when they have chocolate muffins, I like them. :)

 

Most all the breakfast pastries are so, so good.

 

Too bad that doesn't always translate to lunch/dinner dessert pastries or cakes. ;)

[sppunk]

My favorite things:

 

1) Sipping a Want Wang on my balcony or at a piano bar.

2) Fresh flowers - very few ships have these. The HAL florists are trained in the flower capital of the world and are incredibly good.

3) The Indonesian and Filipino crew.

4) The ship designs being nautical. HAL has a tremendous history, matched by no other except mayyyyybe Cunard, and any reminders of that Hostory is always great to us.

[rguy123]

Oriental food in the Lido for lunch

[cruz chic]

Most all the breakfast pastries are so, so good.

 

Too bad that doesn't always translate to lunch/dinner dessert pastries or cakes. ;)

 

That's very true. It's hard to stay away from them but I do most days. On princess it's pretty easy to pass them up. I think they are all made with a pound of butter.

[KruzPrincess]

Thanks everyone. I love reading these things. I'm not a morning eater, but I may have to get to the MDR a couple times. I will have to look at the Asian food in the buffet. I was on the Veendam last year and didn't get to do everything I wanted to try because the cruise was interrupted, but I remember they had nice pasta with a good Bolognese sauce in the buffet. I'm hoping to see that again. It wasn't always hot, so I had to make sure to tell them to make it hot.

 

Speaking of flowers, last year on the Veendam, they were selling bouquets of flowers by the pool on the first day of the cruise for $25. Is this common? Do they usually do that on other ships?

[pris993]

My favorite things on Holland:

 

1. Walking laps on a nice fake teak deck that goes all the way around the ship.

2. The usually good library.

3. Sitting at the rear pool at sunset time with a glass of wine.

4. Afternoon naps.

5. The crow's nest early in the morning before all the people show up.

6. Burgers etc out by the pool.

7. The smiling faces of the crew and learning a bit about their lives.

 

Love the above list, would add breakfast from Room Service, bathtubs, movies and Fox News on the TV, MDR food and service.

[sail7seas]

Indonesian and Filipino Crew Shows. :)

 

The pasta with Bolognese sauce you mentioned is often served in Lido on embarkation day lunch.

Edited July 24, 2015 by sail7seas

[CowPrincess]

I'll be sailing on the Statendam soon and was wondering what your favorite things are. Do you have certain favorite food items? Favorite activities? I don't go to the MDR a lot, so I'm wondering what items there shouldn't be missed. I do know that food is subjective, but I'm just interested in hearing what you think.

 

HAL provides unsalted butter for their bread products. It is so good. I've been unable to find anything close to it on land. I wish I could pack a suitcase full of it when I leave the ship :D

 

When we did this cruise in May, one lunch they had whole roast turkey at the carving station in the Lido. It was close to the best turkey I've ever eaten.

 

In the MDR, the baked brie is tasty. And the escargots. With only one exception, I've found the prime rib in the MDR excellent. It has always been offered on embarkation night for dinner. Watch out for the horseradish -- it is very hot ;) Very.

 

The lunch in the Pinnacle Grill is IMHO terrific. Great value at $10/person, and great food. Even my frugal husband thinks it is the best value around.

 

My favorite place to stand when we are cruising, not "scenic cruising", just going from one place to another, is at the aft railing on the Navigation Deck, (deck 10), especially early in the morning with a cup of coffee. Good chance of seeing sea life, and it is (usually) very peaceful. I prefer that location over being on a balcony, to be honest.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise :)

[POA1]

HAL provides unsalted butter for their bread products. It is so good. I've been unable to find anything close to it on land. I wish I could pack a suitcase full of it when I leave the ship :D

 

 

Wait... You're CowPrincess. Can't you just wave your sceptre and have your choice of dairy products appear? :D

[CowPrincess]

wait... You're cowprincess. Can't you just wave your sceptre and have your choice of dairy products appear? :d

 

lol! :d

 

(have done TWO edits, and still can't get the big green grinning emoticon to show up.....) (shows you how much power my sceptre wields....)

Edited July 24, 2015 by CowPrincess

[Duquesmom]

Lox on an English Muffin with cream cheese.

[POA1]

lol! :d

 

(have done TWO edits, and still can't get the big green grinning emoticon to show up.....) (shows you how much power my sceptre wields....)

 

I'm pretty sure it's COLON CAPITAL D (No spaces.)

 

:D

Edited July 24, 2015 by POA1

[CowPrincess]

lol! :d

 

(have done TWO edits, and still can't get the big green grinning emoticon to show up.....) (shows you how much power my sceptre wields....)

 

I'm pretty sure it's COLON CAPITAL D (No spaces.)

 

:D

 

 

I know, I tried that. Then I went "advanced" and inserted the green guy. And I did capitalize LOL. I think CC was being weird. Let's try this again:

 

LOL! :D

[RuthC]

Chilled fruit soups in the dining room to start dinner. Usually they're yummy.

[mjjden]

Only on embarkation day, Buttermilk Chicken on the Lido, melts in your mouth!

[Okie1946]

1. The smiling happy faces of the crew - they seem as if they are really glad to see you.

 

2. Exploring all the nooks and crannies of the ship, finding all of the beautiful art and flowers that decorate the ship. It is always fun to turn a corner and find a beautiful statue or a floral display that out does anything you have ever seen before. :D

 

3. The pure peacefulness of sitting out on the balcony of our cabin (or on the promenade deck and reading and just watching the world go by.

 

Okie1946

[lucyandricky]

Our favorite things:

1. Happy hour in the Crows Nest

2. Piano Man Stryker in the Piano Bar

3. Bread Pudding in the Lido at lunch time

4. Pinnacle Grill lunch or dinner

5. Sitting on our private balcony having a glass of wine

6. Burgers and brats at the Dive In

7. Breakfast on our balcony with a hot cup of coffee

Edited July 24, 2015 by lucyandricky

[KruzPrincess]

HAL provides unsalted butter for their bread products. It is so good. I've been unable to find anything close to it on land. I wish I could pack a suitcase full of it when I leave the ship :D

 

When we did this cruise in May, one lunch they had whole roast turkey at the carving station in the Lido. It was close to the best turkey I've ever eaten.

 

In the MDR, the baked brie is tasty. And the escargots. With only one exception, I've found the prime rib in the MDR excellent. It has always been offered on embarkation night for dinner. Watch out for the horseradish -- it is very hot ;) Very.

 

The lunch in the Pinnacle Grill is IMHO terrific. Great value at $10/person, and great food. Even my frugal husband thinks it is the best value around.

 

My favorite place to stand when we are cruising, not "scenic cruising", just going from one place to another, is at the aft railing on the Navigation Deck, (deck 10), especially early in the morning with a cup of coffee. Good chance of seeing sea life, and it is (usually) very peaceful. I prefer that location over being on a balcony, to be honest.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise :)

 

I forgot that the Pinnacle Grill has lunch. I need to look into that. Also, was not even aware of a back viewing area on Deck 10. That's another place I'll need to check out. Thank you.

 

I'm hearing about all these good foods in the buffet on embarkation day: spaghetti with Bolognese and buttermilk chicken. I usually avoid the buffet on embarkation day!! What to do...what to do?? LOL.

 

Thanks to everyone for all your ideas.

[ellieanne]

My favorite things:

 

Waking up to a new port outside my window (I prefer ocean-view cabins to balconies).

 

Going to sleep hearing the water lapping against the hull of the ship (I prefer low down, forward cabins).

 

Breakfast in the lido by the widows with great bran muffins, guava and fresh-squeezed orange juice.

 

Watching the docking & sail-away procedures from the Promenade Deck.

 

Early morning walk around the promenade deck followed by tea in the Lido.

 

Reading a book by the windows in the Ocean Bar, followed by pre-dinner drinks with my dearest in the Ocean Bar.

 

Chilled fruit soups and Liver & Onions in the Main Dining Room.

 

The room stewards taking such great care of my teddy bear -- they left extra chocolates for him on the last cruise, and made sure the cabin lights were on so he could finish reading his book. :)